Star Trek Raijin: Fire and Steel
by Frontline
Summary: Ensign Kara Freyja is chosen by Commander Darius, her Mentor at Starfleet Academy, to assist with the development of a new Quantum Torpedo. However, Commander Darius has another agenda that will change the Federation forever.


**STAR TREK AND RELATED CONCEPTS ARE THE PROPERTY OF THEIR RESPECTIVE CREATORS, ESPECIALLY GENE RODDENBERRY. ALL ORIGINAL CHARACTERS ARE MY OWN CREATIONS AND MAY NOT BE USED WITHOUT MY PERMISSION.**

USS Raijin  
Deck 1  
1100 hours

'Authorisation Freyja-Six-Nine-Beta-Epsilon.'  
Kara said, the door to the briefing room hissing open and she stepped inside, stopping suddenly at what she saw. Seated at the head of table was Captain Merron, her short brown hair and auburn eyes making her the polar opposite of Kara. Although Kara was only slightly taller, her platinum blonde hair and blue eyes plainly revealed her Nordic heritage. Compared to Merron, she always felt slightly inadequate, envying her elegant and disciplined style. On her right hand was Commander Stevenson, Raijin's XO, his black hair giving him a stern air of authority. Seated around the table were the rest of the Raijin's Senior Staff, who had all looked up as she entered. She recognised Lt Vimor, Raijin's Chief Engineer, CMO Susanne Gold and Lieutenant Commander Jlin, Raijin's Science Officer. Across from them sat Lieutenant Commander Gabriel Kios, Raijin's TiC Officer and her direct superior. Next to him was Chief Tactical Officer Vincienzo and Ensign Amelia Cross, Raijin's Alpha Shift Helmsman. Being only a first year Ensign, Kara had not had much contact with her, but knew of her reputation as a skilled pilot.  
'Ensign Kara Freyja, reporting as ordered, Captain.' She said, standing stiffly to attention, trying to hide her nervousness. She could feel the gazes of the Senior Officers on her and she knew that they were wondering why she was here. It was the same question that she was asking herself. She may have been Raijin's Armoury Officer, but she was only on her first rotation, having graduated from the Academy barely two months ago.  
'Take a seat, Ensign.' Captain Merron said and Kara obeyed, just as the briefing room door hissed open again and Lt Coda stepped through with a chagrined expression.  
'Sorry I'm late, Captain. We had a brief contact on long range sensors that we needed to run down. Must have been a sensor echo.' He said and Merron nodded.  
'Alright, Lieutenant. Now, let's get started. This briefing has been classified Top Secret, with information being restricted to Command and Alpha-level Officers only.' She said, eyeing each Officer in turn, before turning to Vincienzo. He stood up and moved to the front of the briefing room screen, bringing up a schematic of what Kara recognised as a Quantum Torpedo.  
'This is the E-1 Long Range Stealth Torpedo, codenamed Eclipse, the result of a collaboration between the Federation and the Romulan Star Empire. Eclipse has been designed for long range tactical strikes of strategic targets where heavy defences make a traditional assault impractical. As well as having enhanced sensors and engines, Eclipse is outfitted with an experimental cloaking device.'  
He paused for a moment to allow that to sink in and Kara felt the shock run round the room. She knew the implications of such a weapon all too well. There was silence for a moment until Lieutenant Coda spoke  
'If that's true, then it could hit any target, anywhere, without warning. Wow.'  
'Yes, Lieutenant.' Vincienzo continued, with a faint smile, despite his serious tone, before turning to Captain Merron.  
'Captain?'  
'Thank you, Commander. The Eclipse Project is now ready to move into its next phase of development, which is where we come in. The Officer in Charge of the project has specifically requested the Raijin to assist in the creation of their first prototypes. Therefore, we have been ordered to Starbase 259 immediately, where the project will be transferred aboard.'  
Lieutenant Vimor, Raijin's Vulcan Chief Engineer, folded his hands on the table.  
'Would it not be more logical for them to create these prototypes in a dedicated engineering facility?'  
'Yes.' Captain Merron said. 'However, this project is being given top priority and the OiC has a lot of influence where the brass is concerned.'  
'Who is the Officer in Charge?' Coda asked and Merron nodded to Vincienzo, who brought another image up on the screen. Despite herself, Kara felt her eyes widen in surprise.  
'This is Lt Commander Marchev Darius, a senior weapons expert and tactical instructor at Starfleet Academy, who was chosen by Starfleet Command to head up the Eclipse project. His record and career is included in your briefing documents.'  
The others turned to their PADDs and Kara did the same, but only to cover her surprise. She knew Commander Darius very well. He had mentored her during her time at the Academy and it was due to his training and recommendation that she had graduated at the top of her class. She had had a few communications with him over the last few years, but he hadn't mentioned anything about this project. Captain Merron started speaking again, so she turned her attention back to her.  
'Commander Darius is being assisted in this project by Sub-commander Ramar, a prominent figure in the Romulan Fleet. Very little is known about him, apart from the information provided by the Empire. His record is unremarkable, although he is shown as serving with distinction during the Dominion War.'  
'Is there a possibility that he's a Tal Shiar operative?' Kios asked and Merron shook her head. 'There's no way to know, for certain, but I suspect not. Even so, we'll need to keep our eyes open. Both Darius and Ramar will be bringing one Aide, Lieutenant Brei and Sub-lieutenant D'Lar, respectively. Their files are also included in your briefings and you should study them. Now, information and access to this Project will be restricted to Command and Senior Officers only. Cargo Bay 9 is being converted into a secure area to house Eclipse, to maintain secrecy. Ensign Freyja, as Armoury Officer, you are being assigned to Commander Darius as his Liaison Officer.'  
Kara looked up at the Captain, her shock registering on her face.  
'Captain?' She asked, and Merron turned towards her. 'Is there a problem, Ensign?' She asked and Kara blushed at her outburst.  
'No, Captain.' She said, and Merron nodded. 'Good. We'll be arriving at Starbase 259 at 1900 hours this evening. Your individual responsibilities and duties are in your briefing packages. Study them. Dismissed.'  
Kara rose from her seat and followed the others towards the door, with her PADD clutched under her arm.  
'Ensign Freyja.'  
Kara turned back to Captain Merron, who strode over to her and fixed her with a steady stare.  
'Ensign, I'll be honest. I'd hesitate to even consider involving a first year Ensign in such a sensitive matter, but Commander Darius specifically requested you. This matter is not to be discussed with anyone other than Senior Officers, do I make myself clear?'  
'Yes, Captain.' Kara said, and Merron nodded.  
'Good. Dismissed, Ensign.'

USS Raijin  
Mess Hall  
1240 hours

'Computer, Macaroni Cheese.' Kara said, taking her plate from the replicator and weaving her way across the Officers Mess towards a table by the observation window. Outside, the stars were racing past, showing that the Raijin was travelling at Warp Speed.  
'You're late.' Xiao Meifang said as Kara sat down, glancing sideways at her roommate and closest friend. Xiao, dressed in the uniform of the Engineering division and with her obvious Chinese heritage, was very different from Kara. 'Where have you been?'  
'Sorry. I...had to finish something.' Kara said, cursing herself, silently; she'd never been very good at lying, especially to her friends. To try and avoid any more questions, she picked up her fork and starting to eat, glancing around at the others, discreetly. Even now, she didn't feel entirely comfortable in their presence, despite their shared experiences as newcomers to the ship. Seeing as they were all part of Beta Shift, their schedules naturally co-incided and they had developed a habit of meeting before their shifts to catch up. Beta Shift ran from 1300 - 1900 and, seeing as they were all required to put in three hours of study before and after, they had little time for socialising or to unwind. It was Xiao who had first brought them together and she didn't want to disappoint her. There were three other people sitting around the table, two of them wearing Starfleet uniforms. Of the three, it was Anjor Ossire that was the most noticeable, with his pale blue skin and the four black wings that lay folded against his back. He was a Nelzirian, an avian race that lived in the mountains of his home planet, with a serious outlook. Being an avian species, he disliked the confines of a starship, missing the wide open spaces of his home. However, with his superior eye sight and reflexes, he was a skilled pilot, qualified on Shuttles and Kaneda-class fighters. Sitting next to him was Konrad Abel, a blonde haired man who could not have been any more different from Anjor. Wearing the medical division uniform, he had a sharp lined face and a dark expression. Despite his grim personality, he was a tough man and was already on the fast track for a combat medic posting. True to form, it was difficult to tell whether this news pleased him or not. Lastly was Tamaan Senn, the only person at the table not wearing a Starfleet Uniform, being dressed in a loose black tunic and trousers. His hair was a fiery, bright red, his eyes were silver and he was obviously in the peak of physical condition, carrying himself with a relaxed, self-assured attitude that radiated genuine power. He was a Jurrian and he served as a civilian instructor for the crew in hand-to-hand combat and self-defence tactics, in exchange for a berth.  
'So,' Xiao said, looking around at the others, 'did you hear? We set course for Starbase 259.'  
'How do you know that?' Kara asked, hoping that her surprise didn't come across and Xiao replied  
'I heard some of the Alpha Shift Ensigns talking about it. Captain Merron contacted the Bridge at 1100 and ordered Commander Stevenson to set course for Starbase 259.'  
That was, Kara knew, about half an hour before Captain Merron had called the Briefing, when Commander Stevenson would have been Watch Officer. Since Captain Merron had made no announcement about it, she knew she should keep quiet, although she was very tempted to tell her friends what she knew.  
'Sounds like something exciting's going on.' Xiao continued, a grin crossing her face and Kara avoided her gaze, hoping that Xiao wouldn't press the subject. Fortunately, Anjor spoke up.  
'That's jumping to conclusions. Maybe we're just going in for maintenance. The Kaneda's impulse engines have been malfunctioning lately. We've had to abort three Combat Drills in the last week.'  
Kaneda class fighters were Raijin's space superiority vessels and an integral part of her tactical strength.  
'Yeah, maybe.' Xiao said, sounding a little disappointed, but then she brightened up. 'But, you never know. Either way, we might get a little shore leave.'  
'That sounds good to me.' Tamaan said. 'Hopefully, I'll be able to find some new sparring partners. Your Federation Holodecks are good for practice, but they don't measure up to the thrill of a real opponent.'  
'Don't you think about anything other than fighting?' Anjor said, his brow furrowing in irritation. 'Personally, I'll get down to the planet and stretch my wings, if I can. It's been nearly a year since I got to feel the wind under my wings.'  
Kara exchanged a glance with Xiao, who gave her a quick smile. Anjor and Tamaan rarely saw eye-to-eye about anything. She said nothing, turning to Konrad, who was engrossed in his PADD, presumably reading another medical text.  
'What about you, Konrad?' She asked, and he put down his PADD with a sigh.  
'I don't know. I'll probably get together with some old friends. Right now, I'm due in Sickbay.'  
He stood up, gathered up his PADDs and left, Xiao frowning to herself.  
'He's definitely not much for talking about himself, is he?'  
'No.' Kara said, finishing the last of her meal and standing up. 'Anyway, I've got to go, too. I'll see you later.'

Deck 15  
1300 hours  
Kara entered her Access Code and stepped into the Armoury, smiling as she looked around, pleased to find that everything was as she'd left it. While she was the Armoury Officer, she was required to work shifts in other departments as part of her training, like all First Year Ensigns. Likewise, other Ensigns were required to work shifts in the Armoury, particularly Engineering and Security personnel. More than once, she'd turned up to find things out of place. She logged into her terminal and checked her work orders, before tapping her commbadge.  
'Armoury to TiC.'  
'TiC, Commander Kios.' Came the terse reply and Kara swallowed, despite herself.  
'Ensign Freyja reporting, sir. Armoury is secure.'  
'Acknowledged, Ensign. Anything further to report?'  
'No, sir.' Kara said and Kios responded ' Very well, Ensign. Carry on.'  
'Aye, sir.' Kara said, as Kios closes the channel, moving towards the Phaser Rifle lockers. Her work orders today were to strip them down and check the targeting systems, recalibrating them as necessary. Kara selected the first five and carried the rack to her work bench, setting them down and pulling out her tool kit. She worked diligently for the next two hours, until she had checked nearly half of the Rifles. Knowing that she needed to take a break, she stood up and went over to the small office area, ordering a mug of hot chocolate from the replicator, dropping into her seat with a groan. Taking a deep sip of her drink, she activated her computer terminal and brought up the Eclipse Project data, skimming through the introduction before calling up the technical specification. She was no engineer and definitely not as skilled as Xiao, but she knew enough. It was based on the standard Quantum Torpedo, but with some particular modifications. Despite the obviously enhanced sensor package and engine design, it was the warhead yield that drew her attention. If her calculations were right, Eclipse possessed nearly twice the destructive power of a standard Torpedo. Even with her shields raised, Raijin would be lucky to survive the hit without significant damage. Without her shields... Deactivating the terminal, she sat there for a moment and stared into the distance, before getting up and returning to her work. The day passed quickly, Kara finishing the maintenance in good time and, at 18:55, she reported to Transporter Room One, where Captain Merron and Commander Stevenson were already waiting. Merron nodded at her as she came to attention.  
'Excellent timing, Ensign. They'll be transporting over in a few minutes. Stand at ease.'  
'Aye, sir.' Kara said, moving to stand next to, and slightly behind Commander Stevenson, as the Transporter Chief said  
'Commander Darius and his party are ready to Beam over, Captain.'  
'Acknowledged, Mr Nielvar. Engage.'  
Neilvar manipulated the controls and the faint whine of the transporter filled the room and, when the glow of the transporter faded, three figures were standing on the platform. Kara recognised Commander Darius immediately, with his strong cheek bones and short brown hair as she remembered. Next to him stood Lt Brei, who was a head shorter with his black hair pulled back into a ponytail. However, it was the third figure that drew her attention and she fought the instinct to stare. Subcommander Ramar stood proudly, his expression cold and imperious, a demeanour matched perfectly by Sublieutenant D'Lar. Kara glanced left towards Captain Merron, but she betrayed no hesitation as she stepped forward, extending her hand.  
'Commander Darius, welcome aboard the Raijin. I'm Captain Merron.'  
Darius stepped down from the transporter pad, grasping Merron's hand firmly.  
'Thank you, Captain. And, thank you for agreeing to my request. I acknowledge the inconvenience this must cause you, but a frontline starship is vital to the completion of my project.'  
'Your project, Commander?' Merron asked, and Darius gave a faint smile, hesitating for the barest second.  
'A little hubris, maybe, but I do think of it as my project, Captain. He said, with a glance towards Ramar. Our governments may have commissioned the idea, but it has been our dedication that has made it a reality.'  
'Subcommander Ramar. Welcome. I have no words that will not sound false in the face of our people's history, but I was saddened to hear of the recent losses that your people have suffered during Shinzon's uprising.'  
Ramar inclined his head.  
'An honest response, Captain, which I admire and thank you for. Hopefully, we can put all such tragedies behind us.'  
Merron nodded, before finishing the introductions.  
'This is my First Officer, Commander Stevenson and my Armoury Officer, with whom I believe you are acquainted already. Ensign Freyja will serve as your liaison for the duration of your time here, as you requested.'  
'Indeed. Ensign Freyja, it is good to see again.'  
'And you, Commander.' Kara said, after a glance towards Merron and Darius.  
'If you're ready, Commander Stevenson will show you to your Quarters.' Merron said and Darius shook his head.  
'There's no need to stand on ceremony, Captain. If you'll provide Lieutenant Brei with the billet, he and Sublieutenant D'Lar can make the arrangements.'  
'...of course. Commander?'  
'Aye, Captain. Lieutenant, Sublieutenant, this way.'  
Lieutenant Brie and D'Lar followed Stevenson out of the room and Darius turned to Kara  
'When are you off duty, Ensign?'  
'My duty shift finished at 1900, Commander.'  
'Excellent. Report to my Quarters at 2000, Ensign.'

Deck 3  
1955 hours

After showering and grabbing a quick meal in the Mess, Kara stepped off the turbolift onto Deck 3 where the visiting officers' quarters were and heading for Commander Darius' Suite, having already asked the computer which they were. Stopping outside, she took a moment to straighten her uniform jacket before touching the panel next to the door. A second later, the door hissed open and Commander Darius was standing there, his expression as serious as ever.  
' Ensign Freyja.'  
'Reporting as ordered, Commander.'  
'Come in, Ensign.' Darius said, stepping back to allow her to step inside, the door hissing shut behind her.  
'At ease, Ensign.' He said, moving to sit in one of the two chairs, gesturing for her to take the other one.  
'I'll cut right to the chase, Ensign.' He said, steeling his fingers in front of his face. 'I need you. This Project is one of the most important focuses of the Federation right now. We've just come through one of the bloodiest wars in our history and the Dominion were nearly the death of us all. And our list of enemies isn't getting any shorter. The Borg. The Klingons. The Breen. The Ferengi. The Romulans...'  
'The Romulans, sir?' Kara asked, making no effort to cover her surprise.  
'Yes, Ensign. We may have a treaty with them, but that's all it is. Empires are fractious entities and the Status Quo can change overnight. We need to be prepared. And they know our tactics very well by now. If we're going to stay one step ahead, we need to develop new strategies and new weapons that they can't anticipate. I requested you as my Liaison Officer because I know that I can rely on you.  
'I'll do whatever I can, Commander, in assuring the success of this project.'  
'This project is only the beginning, Ensign, if all goes according to plan.'  
'Sir?'  
'I can't say anymore for now, Kara.' He said, turning and picking up a box from his desk and laying it down in front of him, opening it to reveal the chess set inside.  
'In life, as in chess, you always need to make sure that you have your pieces in the right place.' He said, picking up the White Knight and staring at it, thoughtfully.

An hour later, Commander Darius was sitting in the Suite when Commander Ramar entered, sitting down opposite him.  
'I still do not understand why you are taking so much trouble with one junior Officer, however gifted she may be. Do we not have enough supporters by now?'  
'We do, but loyalty is a more valuable commodity than support, Subcommander. She was my finest student and I know that she will be off great use to us in the days to come.'  
'Very well. I know better than to try to change your mind, anyhow. Just remember that events are moving quickly now and that we can afford no distractions.'

Torpedo Magazine and Manufacturing Area  
0800  
Kara stepped into the Torpedo Manufacturing area aboard the Sail, the centre of the spar that ran between the nacelles on an Akira-class, where the fighter bays were housed. Her shift in the Armoury was being covered and she was eager to join the project. The centre of the Magazine was now dominated by 12 long, flat shapes that she recognised immediately as Quantum Torpedo, the area that they were in marked out with yellow and black lines on the floor. She also noted that the warheads had been removed, which was a prudent precaution. Around the edges of the room were four separate workstations, each with a workbench and computer terminal built in. Looking around, she saw Darius, D'Lar and Brei standing around a replica of the Master Engineering Console, above which was a hologram of the Eclipse Torpedo. Darius looked up when she approached, gesturing for her to join them.  
'Good morning, Ensign.' He said, briskly, gesturing to the hologram. 'These are the final schematics for the Eclipse Prototypes. By the end of the day, I expect to have all twelve prototypes assembled and ready for testing. We've got a lot of work to do and it will be a long day. For the benefit of Ensign Freyja, I'll go over everybody's responsibilities one last time. Subcommander Ramar will be responsible for the cloaking and propulsion systems, aided by Sublieutenant D'Lar. Ensign Freyja, you will assist me with the sensor packages and targeting modules.' Ramar nodded and headed towards his workstation, D'Lar falling in behind him and Darius turned to Kara.  
'Ensign, you'll be responsible for assembling the targeting modules. You'll find the details and schematics on your workstation terminal. Can you handle that?'  
'Yes, sir.' She said, and Darius smiled. 'Excellent, Ensign. WorkStation Epsilon will have everything you need. Dismissed.'  
Kara turned smartly on her heel, making her way over to her workstation, finding four cases underneath, each filled with the various components that she would need. Calling up the schematics on her terminal, she selected three of the main modules and laid them out on the bench, setting down to work. Commander Darius was right; it was going to be a long day.

Kara sat back, rubbing her neck with a wince, glancing at the chrono on her desk, seeing that it was 1000 and knowing that she should take a break. Still, the hard work had been worth it, as she had already finished the three modules that she was working on. She still had nine more to do, but she was familiar with the procedure now, so her efficiency should improve. Feeling the need for some nourishment, she stood up and walked over to the Replicator, ordering herself a mug of hot chocolate with marshmallows and whipped cream. Taking a sip, she made her way to the opposite bench where D'Lar was working, with her head bent low and her brow furrowed in concentration.  
'Excuse me?' She said, before she could lose her nerve and D'Lar looked up, her gaze cool and direct.  
'Yes, Ensign? She said, briskly and Kara forced herself to smile.  
'I just wanted to introduce myself. I'm Kara Freyja.'  
D'Lar just stared at her and she continued, hurriedly.  
'Anyway, I just wanted to invite you to the Lounge after we're done here. Some of our First Year Ensigns meet there when we're off duty.'  
'I am not here to socialise, Ensign Freyja.' D'Lar replied, coolly. 'My only concern is the completion of this project. Now, if you do not mind, I have duties to complete.'  
'Right. Sorry.' Kara said, but D'Lar had already turned back to her work. Feeling slightly put out, Kara returned to the Replicator, although her appetite had faded somewhat.

Kara spent the rest of the day simmering with anger, her mood not helped by the cold, blank stare that D'Lar gave her whenever she looked her way. She was just completing the final targeting module when Captain Merron entered the Cargo Bay and marched over to Commander Darius.  
'Report, Commander.' She said and Kara strained to hear what they were saying.  
'We're nearing completion, Captain, with all twelve prototypes expected to be operational within the hour.' Darius responded and Merron looked surprised.  
'Congratulations, Commander.'  
'Congratulations are, frankly, premature, Captain. We may have the prototypes, but we do not yet know that they work. Until we do, the Project had not been a success.' He picked up a PADD and handed it to Captain Merron.  
'To that end, I would like you to make these arrangements for our first test, by 1500 hours.'  
Captain Merron scanned the list, before meeting his gaze.'  
'This is easy enough to achieve, Commander, but isn't it a little hasty? These prototypes have not even undergone any testing or simulations.' She said, and Commander Darius' eyes narrowed.  
'I am sure of my designs, Captain and I'm on a very tight deadline. Your orders from Starfleet to provide us with every assistance are also very clear.'  
Merron stared at him for a long second, her eyes narrowing, but her tone remained neutral.  
'Very well, Commander.' She said, turning her back and marching away, her back ramrod straight and Commander Darius turned to her, Kara turning back to her work, hurriedly.  
What was that about? She thought, as Darius walked over to her and Kara put down the module she had been adjusting, coming to attention.  
'Commander?' She said, as he picked up the module, assessing it with a satisfied smile.  
'Excellent work, Ensign Freyja. Once the prototypes are completed, I will have another assignment for you.' He said, handing her a PADD showing an image of an asteroid. 'This asteroid is designated Epsilon-22796 and it is about a light year from our position, in an uninhabited system. As Federation surveys have determined it to be lifeless, it will make a perfect test target for Eclipse. Subcommander Ramar, Lt Brei and myself will deploy in a shuttle craft carrying one of the Eclipse Torpedoes. We will launch the Torpedo from outside the system, while Raijin will be on standby to detect and intercept it, if possible. To maintain the integrity of the exercise, I want you and Sublieutenant D'Lar to be on the Bridge to monitor the test.  
Kara managed to hide her irritation; she seemed not to be able to avoid D'Lar today, but she replied  
'Aye, sir.'  
'Excellent. You will monitor the efficiency of targeting sensors during the test, while Sublieutenant D'Lar monitors the flight control systems. Finish up here and report to the Bridge by 1500. This will be a day that changes the Federation forever.' He said, seeming to stare into the distance and Kara frowned.  
'Sir?'  
'Hmph. My apologies, Ensign. I was just thinking out loud. You have your assignment. Dismissed.'  
'...yes, sir.'

Bridge  
1500 hours

Kara took her seat at the Science II Console, feeling a small thrill at being on the Bridge, an excitement that couldn't even be dampened when she glanced at D'Lar sitting next to her at the Multi-mission console. She looked round as Captain Merron said  
'Open a channel to the shuttle Horizon, Mr Coda.'  
'Channel open, Captain.' Coda reported and Captain Merron said  
'Commander Darius, we are on station and standing by. You may proceed when ready.'  
'Acknowledged, Captain. Darius, out.'  
Kara turned back to her console, running her eyes over the screens quickly, which were showing a schematic of the Torpedo, displaying the live telemetry that she was receiving from E-1, all components showing in the green. She knew that they would turn yellow if the computer detected a drop in performance and red if something failed outright.  
'Horizon to Eclipse Mission Control.' Came Commander Darius's voice over her earpiece and she glanced at D'Lar, who had looked up, too. 'Test launch will commence in five, four, three, two, one. Launch.' There was a moment of silence and Kara glanced left at her diagnostics, as Darius spoke again.  
'Launch complete. Freyja, report status of target acquisition.' He said and Kara manipulated the controls, checking the diagnostics.  
'Target E-22796 acquired, sir. Lock is positive with 70% accuracy.  
'Acknowledged, Freyja. Expect that to improve as E-1 nears its target. D'Lar, report operational profile.'  
'Engines are operating at standard parameters, Commander, and cloaking field in stable. D'Lar reported, calmly.'  
'Acknowledged. Estimated impact in five minutes.'  
'Acknowledged, Commande...' Kara began, just as the primary sensor module turned yellow on her monitor.  
'Horizon, primary targeting sensor accuracy has dropped to 50%. Target acquisition is now unreliable. Recommend aborting Test-1.' She said, fighting to keep her voice low.  
'Negative, Ensign.' Darius ordered. 'Continue as planned.'  
'Sir, the Torpedo may acquire the Raijin as its target. We need to abort.' Kara said, fear gripping her. If the Torpedo struck the Raijin with her shields down, it would destroy them.  
'Focus, Ensign.' Darius said, his voice suddenly steely. 'Confirm Eclipse's target.'  
'Y...yes, sir. Checking, now.' Kara said. 'Target still confirmed as E-22796.'  
'Continue monitoring, Ensign. If the targeting module fails or Eclipse acquires the Raijin, abort the Test and inform Captain Merron to raise shields immediately. Otherwise, proceed as normal.  
'...aye, sir.' Kara said, focusing on her task with renewed concentration. If the Torpedo acquired the Raijin, she'd only have seconds to warn the Captain. As nervous as she was, it felt better to be doing something. She listened with half an ear to the conversation of the Bridge Officers behind her.  
'...graviton co-efficient is inconclusive. Too much interference from planetary bodies to gain a clear reading.'  
'...no sign of any sensor contacts. Fighter wings are deployed in standard intercept formation, but we don't have enough to cover the whole system. We're going to need something to go on before we can deploy the Tachyon Grid.'  
'...deploy two Runabouts towards E-22796, but keep them clear of the blast zone Maybe they can detect the Torpedo on its final approach. Have them scan for the antimatter radiation. Even the best cloaking device can't hide all that energy.'  
Then, as she watched, the target acquisition jumped to 60%, then 79% and then to 92%.  
'Commander, Target Acquisition is in the Green. Repeat, Target Identification is now 92%. Range to A-1 is now 5000 AUs. Impact estimated in ten seconds.' She said, feeling her tension fade slightly and the seconds ticked by slowly until she heard Lieutenant Coda say  
'Captain, Runabout Angel has detected an antimatter signature in the vicinity of the target, but they can't...antimatter explosion detected, Captain, at bearing 195.278.' He said, and there was a pause as he ran a scan of the area.  
'Confirmed, sir. Target E-22796 has been destroyed.'  
'Open a channel to the Horizon, Lieutenant.'  
'Commander Darius, we have a confirmed detonation on Target E-22796 and our preliminary scans indicate it has been destroyed. Congratulations. Do you wish to set up for a second run?'  
'Negative, Captain. We'll be returning shortly.'  
Again, Merron exchanged a look with Commander Stevenson, as if things weren't going as she expected.  
'...acknowledged, Commander.'  
'And, Captain, I'd like Ensign Freyja and Sublieutenant D'Lar to meet me in the Cargo Bay in fifteen minutes.'

Torpedo Magazine  
1530  
Kara stepped into the Torpedo Magazine with D'Lar and froze; everything was as it had been, apart from the absence of the remaining 11 Torpedoes. The area where they had been was empty and the shuttle Horizon sitting on the landing pad, figures in black jumpsuits with Starfleet insignia on the breast loading the Torpedoes into the shuttle's cargo compartment. Standing in front of the shuttle were Commander Darius, Lt Brei and Sub-Commander Ramar.  
'Commander?' Kara asked, stepping closer. 'What's going on?'  
'Our schedule's had to be enhanced, Ensign. I don't have a lot of time to explain, but I want you both to come with us. The future of the Federation is at stake and I need your help.'  
'What do you mean?' Kara asked, feeling ice settle in her stomach.  
'The Federation has become weak, Kara. How many enemies do we face? And what has the Federation Council done? Peace treaties. Negotiations. Diplomacy. These threats still exist and they always will as long as they are allowed to remain powers in this galaxy. It's time to take a harsher line against those who are a threat to the people of the Federation. That is, our new Federation.' He said, with a glance towards Ramar.  
'Even after all Shinzon did, The Federation has done nothing to curb the fractious and dangerous nature of the Romulans, or any of the other dangerous races in this Quadrant, including humans. Subcommander Ramar knows the dangers better than I do.'  
Kara glanced left at D'Lar, who was standing stiffly, her gaze locked on her Commander.  
'Subcommander, this is treason.'  
D'Lar said, and Ramar met her gaze.  
'Our race has become weak, D'Lar, and our people have suffered. That is the greater treason.'  
'So, what? You're just going to declare war, all by yourself?' Kara snapped, feeling her composure slip and Darius responded.  
'We are already at war, Kara, but the Federation won't acknowledge it. And, we're not alone. We have been preparing for a long time for this moment.'  
'Sir, the Gladiator will be on station in two minutes.' Brei said. 'We need to go.'  
'Kara, please. I need you to trust me. This is about the future of the Federation.'  
Kara shook her head, taking a deliberate step backwards.  
'No, sir. I won't have any part in this.' She said, and Darius looked regretful for a second. 'Then, I'm sorry it has to come to this, Ensign.' He says, drawing his Phaser.  
'You know too much to let you go, now.'

**THANK YOU FOR READING AND I HOPE YOU ENJOYED IT.**

**PLEASE REVIEW. CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM VERY WELCOME AND I MAY WRITE ANOTHER CHAPTER IF THIS PROVES POPULAR**


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